Opposition Leader Don Polye

“I was sacked as a deputy Prime Minister, Finance and Treasury Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister and Works, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister, among others,” he said. 

He said he was sacked because he protested against decisions which were not in the best interest of the country but only to promote corruption.

Polye said a clear line must be drawn between what is right and what is wrong for the betterment of the country.

“It is my conviction that the black is black and the white is white.

Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia allowed a final adjournment to parties in the case to next Monday, Oct 17.

A hearing date to address the issue of standing is expected to be set next week.

This is in relation to the case that Polye re-filed, challenging the legality of the Government’s decision to acquire the K3 billion loan from the Union Bank of Switzerland.

A senior public servant who wanted to remain unanimous told Loop PNG today that the campaign was mainly for health and lifestyle campaign.

He said comments made by Opposition Leader Don Polye on the campaign has nothing to do with the eviction of the old Fuzzy Wuzzy angel in Port Moresby.

"Polye needs to stop such nuisance and concentrate on bigger national issues.

"Most importantly, he must concentrate on law and order issues in his district and not attacking NCD Governor."

This is a difference of 8,505 votes to the second-placed candidate since counting started last Saturday.     

Kandep Returning Officer Alwin Jimmy told Loop PNG after completion of counting yesterday that Polye scored 15,263, Alfred Manase 6,758 and Bee Pepo 2,262 votes.

“Now we just completed and knocked away after count number 44,” Jimmy said yesterday.

He revealed that 31,476 ballot papers had already been counted so far, with only 206 informal votes registered.  

Maipakai criticised them for not supporting Polye when he tried to form the government twice; the first was during the vote of no-confidence in July and the second was after the last election.

“Despite our age difference, I am loyal to him because he is honest, transparent and a highly qualified leader,” Maipakai told a huge crowd at Porgera, in Enga, last Saturday.

“I see it as a betrayal of the next generation,” Polye told a huge crowd in Porgera, Enga Province, during a recent visit.

He claims that Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government have created many problems for the country, which he can’t solve during his term in office.

Polye says a strong commitment to rule of law and justice saves and secures the nation and her people, not just the police, warders and defence force.

Polye says he was concerned with the manner in which Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government were engaged in a witch-hunt to suppress those who stood up to protect the country’s rule of law, institutions, democracy and to fight corruption.

“These pilots among the students and citizens have expressed their rights to dissent as provided for in our Constitution.

“The termination, by the CEO of Air Niugini, is not in the best interest of the country and that is an assault on democracy and our Constitution,” says the Opposition Leader.

Justice Stephen Kassman made the comments after Alfred Luke Manase’s lawyer, Christine Copland, told the court they were not notified of the urgent application coming to Court on Sunday nor yesterday morning.

They became aware of the urgent application returning via newspaper reports describing it as an ambush on the part of Polye’s lawyer, Paulus Doa.

Doa, who was out of Port Moresby on the weekend, had another lawyer, John Napu, step in for him on Sunday, making an appearance before Justice Kassman. Polye was also in court on Sunday at 1.30pm with Napu.

Parties representing Don Polye, Alfred Luke Manase and the Electoral Commissioner appeared before Justice Stephen Kassman of the Supreme Court this morning.

Polye filed an urgent application on Sept 15 seeking to have the Supreme Court stay the recount that is set to start tomorrow.

His lawyers appeared in an urgent Supreme Court sitting yesterday (Sunday) however, the matter could not proceed to a hearing as other parties were not aware of the application. It was adjourned to this morning.

“The import quota is anti-competitive and unfair for our long time companies which have been the industry players. It is not a sound economic decision,” he says.

Poly says Naima Agriculture Investment Ltd, which the quota would protect, lacked the capacity to meet the demand.

He says NAIL announced that it would produce 200,000 tons or 200,000 000 kilograms of rice, adding it would import rice to fill the gap.

“Our people will be big time losers,” stresses the Opposition Leader.